"Successful cooperation keeps enlargement on track"
The last six months have seen major progress on the enlargement file thanks to the close cooperation between the European Commission and the Danish Presidency. At the outset we were very conscious of the need to maintain momentum on enlargement in the midst of the financial crisis. At the close, having put enlargement high on our agendas, it is fair to say that we not only maintained momentum, we actually increased it. This progress and the continuing interest of the countries in our immediate neighbourhood - and beyond - to join the EU, is the most significant vote of confidence in the European project.
The granting of candidate status to Serbia by the European Council on 1 March 2012 was due in no small measure to the determination and vision of the Serbian leadership, the priority given by all Serbian state institutions to the EU reform agenda and Serbia's increasing efficiency in adopting and implementing key reforms, notably under the political criteria. Our relations with Serbia have now moved to a higher level with a focus on the progress that Serbia has made on further normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and on continuity and delivery of reforms, in particular in key areas like the judiciary and the fight against corruption. We are confident that Serbia will play an important role in regional cooperation underpinning and enhancing reconciliation in a region that suffered major conflicts in the recent past.
Accession negotiations opened with Montenegro on 29 June. Starting negotiations is a success for Montenegro: its authorities, politicians and the whole of Montenegrin society. The broad national consensus and reform efforts have paid off. They also confirm that we judge candidates on their own merits. Montenegro already did a lot. But much more still needs to be done. This next phase of the accession process will mean even more work in even more areas, with continued focus on fundamental freedoms, judiciary, fight against corruption and organised crime.
The whole Western Balkans region is moving ahead. We have launched a High Level Accession Dialogue (HLAD) with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. It provides a platform for an intensive, substantial discussion on advancement of EU-related reforms. The discussion focuses on concrete targets and actions to move the reform process forward in five key areas: freedom of expression in the media; rule of law; public administration reform; electoral reform; strengthening the market economy.
In June we also launched a High Level Dialogue on the Accession Process with Bosnia and Herzegovina to help it move forward on its path towards the EU by explaining the requirements and the methodology of accession negotiations and concretely what is expected from Bosnia and Herzegovina in the EU accession process. We hope that Bosnia and Herzegovina, as soon as possible, will be able to meet the requirements for the Stabilisation and Association Agreement to come into force and that the country will soon be able to meet the remaining conditions for a credible membership application to the EU.
We also launched a Feasibility Study with Kosovo this spring. The objective of the feasibility study is to provide a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of Kosovo's readiness to negotiate and eventually implement a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, which forms the legal basis of the European Union's relations with countries of the Western Balkans and a stepping stone towards membership. The study will focus on the political, economic and legal aspects of Kosovo's readiness for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement. Having launched a visa liberalisation dialogue with Kosovo in January, the Commission handed over a Visa Roadmap to the Kosovo government in June, bringing the citizens of Kosovo a step closer to visa free travel.
In Albania, following the political agreement between government and opposition reached in November 2011, real efforts have been made in 2012 by both political sides to take reforms forward.Further progress will depend to a large extent on the stability and sustainability of the dialogue between political forces and also on Albania delivering concrete and tangible results in addressing important European Union-related reforms, known as the 12 key priorities.
Turning to Iceland, good progress has been made in the accession negotiations with the active participation and support of the Danish Presidency. Our approach has taken Iceland's specificities into account while at the same time respecting the framework that underpins the negotiation process. As of the Intergovernmental Conference on 22 June, 18 chapters have been opened, out of which 10 have been provisionally closed.
The launch of the positive agenda with Turkey, covering a broad range of areas of common interest, and the work that has been undertaken in this context has been an important step forward. This initiative is a bridge, not above or around accession negotiations, but towards them. The Commission, the Danish Presidency and our Turkish colleagues worked hard to turn what seemed to be a concept few months ago into a new framework of a positive approach to our important relationship. The adoption of Council conclusions at the end of June clearly mentioning – for the first time – the perspective of visa liberalization for Turkey demonstrates the strong commitment of the European Union to move forward on an issue which is so important to Turkey and its citizens.
In conclusion, over the last six months the Commission and the Danish Presidency have worked well together, finding practical solutions and flexible ways to accommodate and anchor to the EU those other neighbours that want to share in our democracy, prosperity and stability. The foundations have been laid so that the EU can continue to enlarge and as it deepens its own internal integration, it will be the stronger for it.
